Above: Scotch bonnet. Photo by Vanda Lewis.
Welcome to the newest online issue of Scotch Bonnet. This marine education newsletter also is available as a PDF — if you’re like me and want to keep a hard copy!
Reader Survey
Please take a few minutes complete North Carolina Sea Grant’s marine education survey at go.ncsu.edu/oqvyni. I am interested in your thoughts about how North Carolina Sea Grant can help you do your job better and connect with a wider audience.
What are your needs for outreach and communication products on marine science topics? What can Sea Grant do to reach young students, continuing-education participants and lifetime learners?
This is a special invitation: Please help me help you by sharing ideas on what topics interest you and how you want to learn about them. Your responses will help us tailor our efforts to meet the needs of our state’s educators and students of all ages.
Be a winner! Give us your name and email address to enter into a drawing for some fabulous North Carolina Sea Grant swag — including a Coastwatch subscription, and copies of North Carolina’s Amazing Coast: Natural Wonders from Alligators to Zoeas and Seashells of North Carolina.
Movie Stars
Last autumn, I took a few moments to explore the possibility of a movie career. Check out this video that explains what North Carolina Sea Grant does and how the organization helps people in the state. Of course, no superstar should be caught without a pair of fame-worthy sunglasses!
Diana Hackenburg, Sea Grant science writer, described what went into making this video here.
Summer will be here before we know it! I’m sure you all have been searching for professional development opportunities for this summer. Here are some more to consider.
Thanks to Lori Davis, Melissa Dowland, Bonnie Eamick, Sue Kezios, John McCord and Renee Strnad for their contributions to this issue. Wishing you all a wonderful summer!
Explore this issue of Scotch Bonnet. There are professional-development opportunities and family explorations for everyone. Take advantage of these wonderful conferences, workshops and more, especially if you’re working on your environmental education certification. Keep reading for those unique opportunities and ideas for educators. There is a lot going on in North Carolina and beyond!
PArticipate in a Reader Survey
www.thesciren.org/networking-events/sciren-triangle/
SciREN Triangle is set for Sept. 21 at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh. Photo by Diana Hackenburg.
Register now for SciREN Triangle at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh, hosted by the Scientific Research and Education Network, or SciREN.
The free networking event provides a networking opportunity for educators and researchers. Scientists will share K-12 classroom-ready lesson plans that are based on their current research and that adhere to state and national educational standards. Additionally, SciREN gives scientists and educators opportunities to arrange classroom visits and to collaborate on curriculum development.
What: SciREN Triangle
When: Thursday, Sept. 21, 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Where: N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, 11 West Jones Street, Raleigh
Cost: FREE
URL: www.thesciren.org/networking-events/sciren-triangle/
SciREN, a nonprofit organization founded and led by graduate students, aims to connect local STEM researchers and educators to foster the dissemination of current research and ultimately enhance the science literacy of today’s youth. The network builds on the passion of educators and researchers, the generosity of sponsors, and the commitment of the SciREN administrative teams.
SciREN’s goals are to
SciREN aims to achieve these goals and mission through annual networking events and lesson-planning workshops. The networking events bring researchers and teachers to the table for face-to-face interaction and exchange of ideas and materials. The lesson-planning workshops help researchers translate their work into classroom-ready exercises that meet state and national standards.
www.coastalstudiesinstitute.org
The UNC Coastal Studies Institute, or UNC CSI, hosts a monthly lecture entitled “Science on the Sound” at their campus in Wanchese. This series highlights research and education on coastal topics and issues in northeast North Carolina.
I was featured in March’s program. My presentation, titled “Beachcombing Biology: The Stories Your Beach Finds Tell,” offered tips on beachcombing and how to identify some of the common things found when scouring the beaches of North Carolina.
Everything you find on the beach has a story behind it, whether the object is natural or man-made. Discover some of the tales behind treasures found while combing our beaches. Explore seashells and the shell-makers, the secrets of crabs and corals, and the mysteries behind floating items that are blown onto the seashore.
Discover something new and enjoy the video of my presentation at www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW2WHz6iEnk&feature=em-subs_digest.
Also, check out the next lecture on June 22: “Battle of the Atlantic 2016: The Discovery of the U-576 and the Shipwrecks of the KS-520 Convoy” by Joe Hoyt, maritime archaeologist, Monitor National Marine Sanctuary.
All programs begin at 6:00 p.m. and the public are welcomed and encouraged to attend. The UNC Coastal Studies Institute is located at 850 NC Highway 345 in Wanchese, NC. The presentations will also be streamed live, and the online viewing audience will be able to ask the presenter questions via an online chat room.
The 80-acre Cape Fear Botanical Gardens is located between the Cape Fear River and Cross Creek, two miles from downtown Fayetteville.
What: WOW! The Wonders of Wetlands
When: Thursday, June 15; 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Where: Cape Fear Botanical Garden, 536 N. Eastern Blvd., Fayetteville
Cost: $30 Garden Members; $35 Nonmembers
This one-day educator workshop will introduce you to three parameters of wetlands (vegetation, soils and hydrology), as well as wetland functions and values, through fun and interactive activities in lesson-plan format that are correlated to National Science standards. Bring a sack lunch. Registration fee includes WOW! curriculum guide, take-home materials and admission to the garden.
What: Helping Wetland Habitats: An Introduction to POW! The Planning of Wetlands
When: Thursday, June 15; 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Where: Cape Fear Botanical Garden, 536 N. Eastern Blvd., Fayetteville
Cost: $10
This afternoon add-on to the WOW! course introduces you to the concept of schoolyard wetland habitats, including wetland design, construction, monitoring, project funding and most importantly, their contribution as an extension of the classroom, using the WOW! curriculum guide from the morning session.
Preregistration is required and space is limited. Registration form for both workshops can be found at form.jotformpro.com/63614815685969.
*Note: CEU credits for teachers may be arranged upon request. This one-day workshop will give you the opportunity to earn 6 hours credit towards Criteria I of your N.C. Environmental Educator Certification, or Certification Renewal. With the afternoon add-on, a total of 8 hours credit can be earned toward Criteria I. The Environmental Concern, Inc. facilitator for the course is Aerin Benavides, postdoctoral researcher at UNC Greensboro, teacher educator and N.C. Certified Environmental Educator.
For more information, email Bonnie Eamick at beamick@capefearbg.org.
All K-12 classroom teachers and informal educators are invited to join the North Carolina Coastal Reserve in Beaufort for a Teachers on the Estuary (TOTE) workshop, a National Estuarine Research Reserve program.
At a TOTE workshop, attendees will:
What: Teachers on the Estuary Educator Workshop
Where: 101 Pivers Island Drive, Beaufort
When: Monday and Tuesday, June 19 and 20; 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day
Cost: The workshop is free and lunch will be provided on both days. Participants are responsible for their own lodging.
Support: Attendees will receive renewal credits and copies of all activities to use in their classroom.
To register or for more information, please contact Lori Davis at lori.c.davis@ncdenr.gov or 252-838-0883.
The N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences offers several Educator Treks, workshops for educators, in Raleigh this summer.
What: Integrating Microbes and Math into Your Classroom
Where: N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, 11 West Jones Street, Raleigh
When: Saturday and Sunday, June 24 and 25; 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day
Cost: $20 (includes lunch for both days and classroom materials)
CEUs: 16 contact hours
URL: naturalsciences.org/calendar/event/educator-trek-integrating-microbes-and-math-into-your-classroom
Based on her research on salt-adapted microbes (halophiles) and in collaboration with the N.C. School of Science and Math, Amy Schmid and her colleagues from Duke University have developed a five-part learning module that engages teachers in current scientific content and models how to integrate scientific inquiry into the classroom.
During this two-day workshop, participants will perform the module’s five steps:
To enable participants to implement the learning module in their classrooms, they will receive activity kits, which will include background materials, a booklet, interactive modeling Excel spreadsheets, a coupon for purchasing a Halobacterium growth kit from Carolina Biological, and assessment forms for students and teachers.
Recommended for high-school teachers, administrators and preservice teachers.
What: Exploring Plant Genetics
Where: N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, 11 West Jones Street, Raleigh
When: Thursday, July 13; 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Cost: $25 deposit (Deposit will be returned upon completion of workshop. Please send separate check if registering for multiple workshops.)
CEUs: 7 contact hours
URL: naturalsciences.org/calendar/event/educator-trek-exploring-plant-genetics/
Spend the morning meeting with NC State University researchers in the field to discuss techniques they use to search and test for genetic improvements to crop plants. During the classroom portion of the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to try out several plant genetics classroom activities. Each participant will receive a voucher of up to $250 to purchase supplies from Carolina Biological for teaching plant biology and/or genetics topics in their classroom.
What: Using DNA Sequence Analysis Tools in Your Classroom
Where: N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, 11 West Jones Street, Raleigh
When: Saturday, August 12; 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Cost: $25 deposit (Deposit will be returned upon completion of workshop. Please send separate check if registering for multiple workshops.)
CEUs: 8 contact hours
URL: naturalsciences.org/calendar/event/educator-trek-using-dna-sequence-analysis-tools-in-your-classroom/
Explore how DNA sequence analysis can be used to examine communities of microscopic organisms. Gain hands-on experience working with online sequence databases and analysis tools, and learn how to use these resources with your students. Workshop participants will design a collaborative research project to take back and use in their classrooms. During the 2017–2018 school year, each participant’s class will contribute a set of samples to be sequenced, then will analyze and compare their sequence data to the larger group’s data set.
Recommended for high-school teachers, administrators, preservice teachers.
Get Credit
Participants receive credit for N.C.’s Environmental Education Certification Program (Criteria 2 or 3).
Get Signed Up
Go online and complete this form to register for Educator Treks: naturalsciences.org/calendar/educator-trek-registration/. Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email and/or a mailed receipt. Workshop details will be sent via email one to two weeks prior to the workshop. If the workshop is already full at the time your registration is received, you will be notified and placed on a waiting list.
Find Other Opportunities
For more information about teacher education programs, contact Melissa Dowland at 919-707-9898.
In the heat of the summer, we’ll wade in the water. Explore the world of water and aquatic habitats with Aquatic WILD!
Union County Soil and Water Conservation District is hosting a FREE N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission Aquatic WILD workshop. This six-hour course for educators (adults over the age of 18) offers a hands-on, aquatic-based K-12 curriculum, professional development CEUs for teachers, and Criteria I credit for EE certification.
Taught by Regional Education Specialist C.C. King, this hands-on workshop promises to be fun and informational. BYO lunch or visit a local drive-through during the 30-minute lunch break.
What: Aquatic WILD workshop
When: Saturday, July 15; 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (with 30-minute lunch)
Where: Union County Agricultural Center, 3230 Presson Road, Monroe
Registration is required to attend. To register, please contact Chelsea Greenhaw at chelsea.greenhaw@unioncountync.gov or 704-233-1621, x10. To learn more about Aquatic WILD, please visit www.projectwild.org/aquatic/.
ncsciencefair.org/index.php/teachers/workshops
What: Science and Engineering Fair 2017 Summer Workshop Series
When: Wednesday, July 19; N.C. Center for Engineering Technology, Hickory
Where:
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., including lunch
Cost: $15 (will be refunded as part of $65 stipend)
Audience: STEM teachers of grades 3 to 12
URL: ncsciencefair.org/index.php/teachers/workshops
This opportunity is open to teachers of grades 3 to 12. Participants will be asked to implement a science and engineering fair for their class, grade-level or school during the 2017-2018 academic year. All participants will be asked to complete a survey spring 2018.
We have limited capacity at each site, but will add teachers to a waiting list. Teachers on the waiting list will be notified if a cancelation occurs but it may be close to the workshop date. If you register and are unable to attend, the registration fee will be refunded only if notice is given at least 10 days prior to the workshop.
Topics to be discussed during the workshops include:
Does all this sound like a lot of information? Bring a friend!
Participants will receive the following:
To register, complete this form ncsciencefair.org/index.php/2017workshop/view/form. Contact Manley Midgett, N.C. Science & Engineering Fair outreach coordinator, at outreach@ncsciencefair.org or call 919-218-7917 with questions.
The Center for Education in STEM at the University of North Carolina Wilmington is offering several great professional-development opportunities for this summer. Registration is limited, so register early. Your registration is not complete until payment is received. More information and registration for the following workshops can be found at uncw.edu/cestem/pd.html.
What: GLOBE training
Where: Watson College of Education, UNC Wilmington
When: Monday to Thursday, June 19 to 22; 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day
Cost: $40 nonrefundable payment must be received to reserve your seat
Audience: Teachers of grades 5 to 12 and environmental educators
GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) is a worldwide, hands-on primary and secondary school-based science and education program. GLOBE promotes and supports students, teachers and scientists to collaborate on inquiry-based investigations of the environment and the Earth system, working in close partnership with NASA and NSF Earth System Science Projects in study and research about the dynamics of Earth’s environment.
The GLOBE program allows teachers to meet the N.C. Department of Public Instruction Standard Course of Study in Science at all grade levels. GLOBE is a citizen-science program that challenges students to collect, upload and use global data for research conducted at K-12 schools, universities and governmental agencies.
More information on GLOBE is at www.globe.gov/about/overview. This workshop provides a letter of participation for 3.0 CEUs, as well as raffles for equipment.
What: K-2 Science Workshop
Where: Room 223, Education Building, UNC Wilmington
When: Monday to Friday, July 31 to Aug. 4; 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day
Cost: $50 nonrefundable payment; registration deadline is July 14
Audience: Teachers of grades K-2
Learn the big ideas of primary science using hands-on activities. Learn how to integrate science into other subjects and increase achievement for all students. Walk away with great supplies so you can replicate the things you learned in your classroom. This workshop provides a letter of participation for 3.0 CEUs.
kenanfellows.org/2017/05/15/north-carolina-teacher-leader-symposium/
What: Inaugural North Carolina Teacher Leadership Symposium
When: Tuesday, Aug. 1; 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Where: Hilton Greenville, 207 Greenville Blvd. SW, Greenville
Cost: Free; includes lunch and snacks
Audience: K-12 teachers in 27 eastern and northeastern counties (listed below)
The Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership is pleased to announce its inaugural North Carolina Teacher Leadership Symposium on Tuesday, Aug. 1, in Greenville.
In this first year, the symposium is located in Eastern North Carolina and offered exclusively to K-12 educators in this region. In subsequent years, the symposium will move around the state, featuring other regions and the educators who work there.
The Biogen Foundation has made it possible for the Kenan Fellows Program to provide this symposium at no cost to attendees. The event includes lunch, a networking reception, concurrent professional development sessions and keynote speakers.
This one-day immersive event will feature concurrent sessions on project-based learning, technology integration, interdisciplinary instruction, building leadership capacity, inquiry-based instruction, developing successful grant proposals and more.
Educators in the Kenan Fellows Alumni Network will lead the one-day symposium. These talented fellows have developed expertise across a wide variety of innovative and effective educational practices that are particularly pertinent to teachers who seek to grow professionally and have a powerful impact in and beyond the classroom.
Registration is open to K-12 educators from 27 Eastern North Carolina school districts including: Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Carteret, Chowan, Craven, Currituck, Dare, Edgecombe, Gates, Greene, Halifax, Hertford, Hyde, Jones, Lenoir, Martin, Nash, Northampton, Onslow, Pamlico, Perquimans, Pasquotank, Pitt, Tyrrell, Washington and Wilson.
Register by July 21 at nc-teacherleader-symposium.eventbrite.com.
Project Learning Tree is an environmental education curriculum with offerings for educators of grades preK-12. Attendees at all workshops will receive their own copy of the activity guide featured at the workshop. Check out the national website for more information: www.plt.org.
Please register for the workshops with the contact person listed. Most workshops and materials are provided free of charge (unless otherwise listed) through our partnerships with the N.C. Forestry Association, N.C. Forest Service and others. CEU and EE Certification credits are available at all workshops, with CFE credits for foresters available at select workshops.
What: K-8 Workshop
When: Monday, Aug. 21; 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Where: Belmont Abbey College, 100 Belmont-Mt. Holly Road, Belmont
Registration Contact: Renee Strnad, renee_strnad@ncsu.edu
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, Aug. 16
What: K-8 Workshop
When: Saturday, Aug. 26; 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Where: Agape Center for Environmental Education, 1369 Tyler Dewar Ln., Fuquay-Varina
Registration Contact: Mir Youngquist-Thurow, ACEed@agapekurebeach.org, 919-552-9421, x210
Registration Deadline: Friday, Aug. 18
Additional details can be found at plt.ces.ncsu.edu. If facilitators do not meet their minimums by the registration deadlines, they may cancel the workshop and then everyone misses out. If you change your plans and cannot attend the workshop, please make every effort to cancel before the registration deadline.
Teams of students from grades 4 to 12 who participated in the KidWind Challenge showcased and tested the performance of handcrafted wind turbines. Photo by John McCord.
The inaugural KidWind Challenge in North Carolina was held in Wanchese on May 5. This event, hosted at UNC CSI, in partnership with Jennette’s Pier, Appalachian State University and KidWind, challenged teams from grades 4 to 12 to showcase and test the performance of handcrafted wind turbines, as well as present their design process to a panel of judges.
Participating teams learned about advancements in other fields of renewable energy, including the North Carolina Renewable Ocean Energy research program run by UNC CSI.
In addition to the main KidWind event, student teams participated in instant challenges that included designing devices that create energy from ocean waves, competing for the longest distance traveled by wind-powered cars, and using wind energy to lift weights and perform mechanical tasks.
Thirteen teams representing schools across Eastern North Carolina competed in the event, with awards given to the top two high-school and middle-school teams.
In the middle-school division, team WE Tech from Camden Intermediate School came in first place, while team #Ecofans, also from Camden Intermediate School, took home second place honors. The high-school division was led by team Zephyrs of Dixon High School in first place, with team Bear Territory from New Bern High School coming in a close second.
For more information on UNC CIS, please visit www.coastalstudiesinstitute.org. For more information on The KidWind Challenge, please visit www.kidwindchallenge.org.
UNCW’s MarineQuest, in affiliation with the Center for Education in STEM, is offering two professional-learning experiences this fall at the Center for Marine Science.
What: Planktonic Planning
When: Saturday, Sept. 30; 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Where: UNC Wilmington’s Center for Marine Science dock
Audience: Teachers of grades 5-12
Join us on the CMS dock as we pull a tow to collect specimens for Planktonic Planning. This professional-learning experience will be led by an accomplished plankton ecologist/educator and will provide teachers with the necessary training and skills to incorporate plankton-based activities and projects into their classrooms. Activities will highlight plankton connections to biotechnology, alternative energy, climate change, citizen science and environmental stewardship. Learn how your class can participate in the Phytoplankton Monitoring Network. Teachers will receive a planning guide to align plankton activities with N.C Essential Science Standards, and a letter of participation for 0.5 CEUs.
What: Sea Harmony
When: Saturday, Nov. 4; 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Where: UNC Wilmington’s Center for Marine Science (CMS)
Audience: Teachers of grades K-5
It’s a date! This professional-learning experience is all about relationships in the marine environment, starting with how the hydrosphere interacts with the atmosphere, how the atmosphere interacts with the lithosphere, how the lithosphere interacts with the biosphere, and round and round. Learn how these relationships create vital habitats for marine organisms that meet their needs and support survival. Explore the many ecological relationships that exist in different coastal and marine habitats. Teachers will receive a planning guide to align Sea Harmony activities with N.C Essential Science Standards, and a letter of participation for 0.5 CEUs.
For more information on these workshops, please visit www.uncw.edu/marinequest or contact Harris Muhlstein at muhlsteinh@uncw.edu or 910-962-3795.
Bring your lessons to life with a field trip like no other at the N.C. Museum of Life and Science in Durham. Join students from around the region for a science adventure designed specifically to complement the curriculum goals for your grade. Enjoy programs and activities through the immersive, hands-on exhibit environments of the museum’s 84-acre campus and two-story science center.
Your group may arrive and check in as early as 9:30 a.m. and leave as late as 5:00 p.m. STEM Day programs will run continuously in the exhibits from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., or until the last bus leaves.
Each student will have the opportunity to explore exhibits and activity stations, collect mini-artifacts, and will receive a full-color activity booklet to document their adventures. Events will feature several activities that meet the N.C. Essential Standards for each grade level, including:
Registration for these fall events is open now. Entry is $15 per student and includes programs and materials. Find out more at www.lifeandscience.org/stem-days.
There are many conferences scheduled for this year. Join your fellow marine educators and beach lovers at one — or more — of these great events.
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National Marine Educators Association’s Annual Conference www.marine-ed.org June 25 to 29, 2017 Charleston, South Carolina |
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Environmental Educators of NC Annual Conference www.eenc.org Sept. 29 to Oct. 1, 2017 Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina |
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International Sea-Bean Symposium www.seabean.com Oct. 20 to 21, 2017 Cocoa Beach, Florida |
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Mid-Atlantic Marine Education Association Annual Conference www.mamea.org/conf.html Nov. 3 to 5, 2017 Ocean City, Maryland |
If you ever have information to share with other marine educators, please don’t hesitate to send it my way for inclusion in a future issue of the Scotch Bonnet. Let me know what you’re hearing from the sea!
Please share this website or newsletter with others — and share my email address with anyone who wants to receive a message notifying them that a new issue of Scotch Bonnet is available online. Thanks for all you do for students and for other educators!
Best Fishes!
Terri Kirby Hathaway
Marine Education Specialist
North Carolina Sea Grant
Email: terrikh@csi.northcarolina.edu
Phone: 252-475-5486
Fax: 252-475-3545
Address: North Carolina Sea Grant, PO Box 699, Manteo, NC 27954
